lOG 



to the surface of the water, break its skin, and take flight. 

 Poking" about under trees is not much adapted to our style 

 of dry fl^'-fishing, but these fellows here are worth trying 

 for, and — by George ! I've got him ! He's a good one, yon 

 can see, by the manner in which he bores low down in the 

 deep water, and refuses to show himself ; but the strain 

 upon him will soon tell its tale, although his efforts to rub 

 the hook out against a stone, in spite of the severe pressure 

 of a rod well-nigh bent double, shows he is one of the right 

 sort. "Without a wink of warning, he shoots down stream like 

 an arrow from a bow, and when we again come within fight- 

 ing distance of each other he is entangled in an ugly bunch 

 of brambles, thrown into the river when hedge-trimming 

 went on. I can see the plucky fellow in the clear water, 

 tugging backwards like a dog, turning somersaults like a 

 street arab, and doing his level best to break away, but the 

 bushes yielding, prevent the smash which he is trjdng to 

 bring about. I try to get the net under him, 

 but the attempt is hopeless, and finally the thorns 

 catch the meshes, and there is work for more than one 

 pail- of available hands, especially as the wretched net will 

 not come fi'ee. But, why j^rolong the agony of that inevit- 

 able end, which jovl, fair reader, can foresee ? It came at 

 last, and I — no, you are mistaken ; I said nothing of the 

 sort. I merely rigged up a new fly, went back to the tree, 

 and killed a fish in very little more time than it has taken 

 to recount this episode — then I felt better. The sun has 

 been gone some time, but the air is balmy. I have been 

 wading some four or five hours, altogether, and have got 

 the requisite number of fish to enable me to return and say 

 triumphantly. " There they are ! I told you I should get 

 'em." And I therefore decline to yield to the keeper's sug- 

 gestion to fish on. My cry is " enough " ; my basket is 

 heavy ; there is a good tramp before me ; I am hungry 

 as a fisherman, and thirsty as a fish ; so, away by a short 

 cut through the meadows, wet with dew, and the air richly 

 laden with the perfume of the hawthorn, I presently repair 

 the wasted tissues at a snug little hostelry, and catch the 

 last train home to Bromley. 



